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I was asked with two days’ notice to produce a chocolate guitar shaped cake for about 15 people. I was so excited about his project I didn’t even flinch about the lack of time! This design features handpainted detail … Continue reading →

When I was a little girl, I’d spend long afternoons flipping through my Mom’s Women’s Weekly “Children’s Birthday Cake Book”. Not a recipe book per say, just a collection of pictures with simple instructions to achieve colorful cakes usually covered in gummy bears or M&M’s.

Children’s Birthday Cake Book

I LOVE this book. Every year before my birthday I’d sit down and carefully select the cake I wanted, innocently asking my Mom “can you do this one?? …and this one?“. I’d always be surprised when she’d say Yes.

The most memorable cake my Mom made from this book was the “Train Cake” on the last page for my brother’s birthday.

Each car was filled with different kinds of candy, popcorn and cookies. When you’re a kid, that’s the best of the best.

So years later, the family tradition continues. My Nephews come over one day and the oldest, Ryan, picks out the tattered Birthday Cake book from the book shelf. He flips through it and when he gets to the last page his eyes go wide. Immediately he jumps up and announces that he wants the train cake for his 6th birthday. Needless to say, I was super excited.

Original train cake from the “Children’s Birthday Cake Book”

The original train cake (left) in the book is frosted with colored buttercream and decorated with candy. For my version, I went for the smooth look by covering the cakes in fondant. For the wheels I used chocolate cookies and filled the cars with brown peanut M&M’s to resemble coal.

I’m glad to say that my Nephew loved it and I’m even happier that our family cake book is out of retirement.